During December 2020, as the 2nd wave of COVID-19 started to take hold, there were many outstanding efforts, often on an hourly and daily basis – right across The HATS Group. However, amongst the many heroic efforts, two individuals, seemed to somehow – even at this incredibly challenging time rise above.
Terry Hedges and Tom Waters from our Mental Health Services team consistently went above and beyond and displayed everything that it means to be a HATS Hero of the Month. Specifically, Tom noticing a patient whom they were transporting slipping something into his pocket, acted and asked that the Police search the patient again. Upon being searched, it turned out that they had slipped a 7” shank with a razor-sharp point into their pocket: if Tom had not acted, who knows the untold damage and potentially catastrophic consequences that could have ensued!
Both colleagues were also involved in the several other instances where again, the Police were also in attendance and on each occasion, they were able to – through a positive, calm, authoritative and assertive manner, de-escalate potentially inflammatory situations, saving time, resources and above all the safety of the Police officers, Health Professionals, each other and of course the patient themselves.
